Main menu

Hearing Loss Factoids

Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the United States.

People with hearing loss wait an average of 7 years before seeking help.

Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) affects 50 million people in the United States.

30–40% of people over 65 have some type of hearing loss.

14% of those ages 45–64 have some type of hearing loss.

15% of children between the ages of 6–19 have a measurable hearing loss in at least one ear.

A mild hearing loss can cause a child to miss as much as 50% of classroom discussion.

Exposure to a noisy train every day can cause permanent damage to hearing over time.

Hearing aids can offer dramatic improvement for most people with hearing loss.

Listening to an MP3 Player at high volumes over time can cause permanent damage to hearing no matter what type of music is playing.

15 million people in the United States with hearing loss avoid seeking help.

Sitting in front of speakers at a music venue can expose you to 120 decibels of sound. This can start to damage hearing in 7½ minutes.

Only 14% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss during a physical. Since most people with hearing impairments hear well in a quiet environment like a doctor’s office, it can be virtually impossible for your physician to recognize the extent of your problem.

Many people with hearing loss have all been told hearing aids will not help often by their physician. This is may have been true years ago, but with modern technology, 95% of those with hearing loss can be helped with hearing aids.

Untreated hearing loss is far more noticeable than hearing aids. Saying, “what” or “can you repeat that” is noticeable to everyone in a conversation. Small discreet hearing aids probably will not be noticed by anyone at all.

The need for hearing amplification is dependent on your lifestyle, your need for refined hearing and not the degree of hearing loss charted on a piece of paper.